The Healing Power of Touch

The Touch Research Institute at the University of Miami School of Medicine is dedicated to the study of touch therapy and its direct correlation to health and well-being. Their tests have proven that massage as a complementary part of a therapeutic regimen significantly improves an individual’s immune system. By reducing tension on muscles in certain areas of the body, massage reduces the production of the stress hormone cortisol and increases dopamine or commonly known as the “happy hormone.” Massage therapy reduces anxiety, depression, body pains related to stress and improved sleep. The institute’s studies have also pointed to its significant help to patients suffering from anorexia and adolescents with ADHD.